The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-02-12
THE CHURCH POOR.
An Energetic al for Reform in Public
and Private Manners.

and Private Manners.
1t is one of the pet theories Of the
philanthropist that kindness and court
esy beget like sentiments in the hearts
of those toward whom they are exer'
cised. But practical experience SO otter
disproves the truth of this pretty maxim.
that none but those generous spirits
bent on believing only the best of hu.
mainly. could long withstand the daily
exhibitions of egregious s~elfshness and
brutality that come under the observa.
ton OF all. Street, shop, car, theater,
and ever the church, are platforms
whereon are constantly exposed
such conspicuous examples Of rude
ness that ordinary persons are led
to distrust the presence of even that
susceptibility to right feeling which is
the groundwork of all decent behavior.
Every Sunday our church doors are
thronged with persons who, by their
presence, ask admittance to the serv-
ices. In the maiu sections and pew
owners arc polite and patient with this
host Of strangers. Seats are provided
for them and they are entertained hos
pitahlv. But this consideration and
courtesy is by no means appreciated.
IT is the few, rather than the many.
who seem to understand that they are
enjoying a privilege. The greater
number Of these persons conduct them
selves as though they had secured a
right, and proposed to show an az
gressive front lest it should be
wrested from them. They have
not come to the house
of Worship n the attitude of worshipers,
even Of respectful lookers-on, but in
the undisguised name of the spec
tator at a show. And even under this
aspect. the ofensc would be less did
they not, with utter disregard of the
feelings Of those who have treated them
with kindness, noisily leave the place
when their curiosity has become ap-
Such affronts to all kinds of
devotion and propriety are too mon
not to deserve severe condemna-
ton. It is Y delicate matter for a
clergyman to handle, and but little less
embarrassing for the members of the
congregation. whose just protests would
be misunderstood. The press, there
fore, which takes upon itself many I'M
gracious tasks-and in a spirit the
lisinterestedncss of which it does not
expect to have recognized -may speak
here a much needed word of %reproval.
each individual in a crowd could be
ri the feeling that he shares
the responsibility of his action with his
unknown neighbors, he might feel a
deeper sense Of obligation to conduct
properly. But he fancies he is
,ut of sight, and he is Influenced by
he lawlessness which pervades an as
where the individuals oppose in
no moral resistance. He
like a coward in the shadows of
numbers. and does what he would
lot do BY himself in the full light
If observation. To be sure, he
S not moved by shame of
.oing a mean thing, but the shame of
Being seen to do what is generally
bought to be mean. How can a class
20 poor in moral honor be reached?
in a case like the one under
consideration, by proclaiming in what
ight some of its actions generally ap-
pear. For instance, itmay be that per-
IONS who MOSTLY leave the church,
where they have sought and accepted
rec seats. during the service, may not
that they are looked upon with
surprise and contempt by the greater
oart of the congregation. and would be
set down as Doors in any fairly en-
ightened community. Now and
hen a person is i'll and is COM
,eled to leave church, but it does not
that a dozen or more are taken
iuddenly i'll in the same church at the
anne time. and, on the occasion to
which we refer. the number of these
instances was not less than twelve.
There is a great deal said about the ex-
conduct of our churches on the
,art of the greater class of non-church-
,oers, but justice demands for once, at
east, their cause should be espoused and
hat the public should be warned not
tax too heavily their generosity and
- Boston Herald.